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2453: Chapel
by the Sea, Clearwater, Florida, USA

Mystery
Worshipper: MoboJobo.The church:Chapel
by the Sea, Clearwater, Florida, USA.Denomination:
Independent. They are a member of the International
Council of Community Churches and the Florida Fellowship
of Community Churches.The building:
A plain white building with red tile roof and stained glass
windows and doors dating from the early 1950s. The grounds are
extensive and impeccably groomed, green and verdant. In addition
to the main sanctuary, there is a small chapel as well as a
prayer garden.The church:
They have a multitude of activities such as Bible study, a book
club, and a ministry for teenagers that includes babysitting
training leading to certification. The chapel is a very popular
venue for weddings.The neighborhood:
Clearwater, in west-central Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, is
a beach and resort area. The climate is Mediterranean: palm
trees and everything else tropical abound. During World War
II, the city served as a major training base for U.S. troops,
with virtually every hotel in the area being converted to barracks.
The chapel is two short blocks from the Gulf of Mexico. The
area has small older homes, motels, and rental condominiums.The cast:
The Revd Herb Freitag, pastor, was the preacher. The liturgist
was Jan Burke. Marilyn Michael, Ed.D., music director, presided
at the organ. Soloists were Flo Bickel and Heather Haskel.The date & time:
October 7, 2012, 10.30am.

What was the name of the service?
Communion Sunday.

How full was the building?
There were about 100 present in a chapel that could hold about
450. The age distribution peaked in the 60s. Dress code ranged
from formal (coat and tie) to slacks and shirt. One of us was
decidedly under-dressed in shorts.

Did anyone welcome you
personally?
Yes. A greeter couple welcomed us, asked where we were from
(we obviously weren't regulars), and gave us the extensive paperwork
that defined the worship event.

Was your pew comfortable?
Regular pew with cushioned seat.

How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
People were chatting quietly.

What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"The Lord be with you."

What books did the congregation use during the
service?
The 14-page(!) bulletin-newsletter-hymn sheet; Hymns for
the Family of God; The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard
Version.

What musical instruments were played?
Pipe organ and piano.

Did anything distract
you?
The worship style itself  robed clerics, robed choir,
liturgical responses  it all seemed like a Protestant
time warp. One expected to hear them pray for President Eisenhower.

Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Congregational model, using liturgical response, choral music,
and community hymn singing. At communion we had the option of
wine or grape juice (indicated by dark or light individual cups).

Exactly how long was the
sermon?
10 minutes.

On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
10  The pastor had an unusual preaching style, with short,
declarative sentences delivered is a quick, almost military
tone. And yet the style gave the message a certain power.

In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
Light, specifically light of the world. The pastor reviewed
the historical value of light, and the cost of being light,
because generating light consumes the medium producing it. Light
comes by fire, which is oxidation, but rust is also oxidation.
We choose to be light or rust.

Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
There were several things: First, Flo Bickel and Heather Haskel
sang a professional-quality duet. Second, the sermon was worth
listening to. Finally, we stayed seated for the organ postlude.
Mark Twain made a bit of a case that an eternity of worship
would be boring or embarrassing, but our experience here argues
otherwise.

And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
There was the feeling, even a wish, that it should have been a time warp; otherwise it appears demographics will end this form of worship.

What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Everyone went off to the orange juice (Florida, of course) reception.

How would you describe
the after-service coffee?
Since we didn't attend, we can't describe  but it looked
like the regulars had assembled for a social hour.

How would you feel about
making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
10  For one of us, the style went back to university days.

Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes, especially the earnest effort to participate in a traditional worship pattern.

What one thing will you
remember about all this in seven days' time?
The music  organ, choir, mezzo  and the option of
wine or grape juice, which we do not expect ever to see in our
own church back home.

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